This invention relates generally to wide area networks, and more particularly to the testing of web sites hosted by web servers coupled to a TCP/IP protocol network.
The Internet has, of late, become ubiquitous. The Internet is a robust, Wide Area Network (WAN) of networks which permits communication among computers, networks, and other digital devices which adhere to a standard xe2x80x9cTCP/IPxe2x80x9d protocol. One of the most popular ways of communicating over the intersite is through a xe2x80x9cweb sitexe2x80x9d which is hosted on a suitable digital processing machine such as a personal computer, workstation, etc. Users or xe2x80x9cclientsxe2x80x9d use, for example, their personal computers to communicate with a web site via a browser program or, simply, xe2x80x9cbrowser.xe2x80x9d The most commonly used browsers are the Navigator(trademark) from Netscape Communications, Inc., and the Internet Explorer(trademark) from Microsoft, Inc.
It has become increasing simple for companies and individuals to create their own web sites. There are a number of commercially available packages which generate the necessary HTML code to create xe2x80x9cweb pagesxe2x80x9d which can be uploaded to web servers connected to the Internet. Connections to the Internet and web server hosts arc often provided by a company known as an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Since web pages are, essentially, programs written in the HTML language, it is possible that one or more web pages of a web site contains errors. These errors may only show up intermittently since much of the interaction with the web site can be dynamic, i.e. it can change from session to session. Therefore, the need has arisen for some method to test web sites for errors.
In FIG. 1, a system 10 for testing a web site includes a TCP/IP protocol network 12, such as the Internet, a web server 14 coupled to the Internet 12 by an ISP 16, any number of user or client machines such as client machines 18A, 18B, 18C, etc. coupled to the Internet 12 by ISP""s 20A, 20B, 20C, etc., and a testing computer 22 coupled to the Internet 12 by an ISP 24.
In the prior art, software running on the testing computer 22 connects with a web site 26 hosted by the web server 14 through the Internet 12 and attempts to download web pages. Upon a failure to download a web page, the testing computer 22 running this prior art software detects an error.
It should be noted that a depiction of FIG. 1 is logical in nature, and may be implemented in a variety of fashions. For example, the testing computer 22 and the web server 14 can be the same machine. As another example, any of the client machines 18A, 18B, 18C, etc., or the testing computer 22, or the web server 14 can be connected into the Internet 12 in other fashions, such as into the xe2x80x9cbackbonexe2x80x9d of the Internet. Further the Internet is only one example of a network 12 implementing a TCP/IP protocol. Other examples of TCP/IP protocol networks include intranets and extranets, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
The testing computers 22 of the prior art include testing software which simulate browser software to the extent that they can download web pages. The successful downloading of a web page in the prior art was usually considered sufficient to determine that that web page was error free. In some instances, prior art testing computers 22 may examine or xe2x80x9cparsexe2x80x9d the HTML of the downloaded web page to make further determination whether there is an error in the downloaded web page. An example of prior art testing software includes the WhatsUp(trademark) software of IpSwitch, Inc. of Lexington, Mass. (http://www.ipswitch.corn). This software is capable of testing only a single web page.
Unfortunately, the simple downloading of web pages with, perhaps, a cursory examination of the HTML is often insufficient to determine all the errors that a user might encounter when actually interacting with those web pages. This is due, in part, to the complex interactivity permitted under the HTML standards, and is due, in part, to the fact that many interactions with web pages are xe2x80x9cdynamicxe2x80x9d in that they may change from session to session. It would therefore be desirable to have a method for testing a web site which can test multiple features of web pages, and which can handle dynamic interactions with the web site.
The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and system for testing a web site. The invention handles a number of interactive modes with the web site being tested, and handles dynamic interactions with the web site.
A method for testing a web site in accordance with the present invention formulates a test configuration file comprising a series of test inquiries for a web site, initiates an HTTP communication to form a connection with the web site, and repetitively communicates with the web site. More particularly, the method repetitively communicates with the web site by receiving HTML from the web site, analyzing HTML for errors and storing the results in the database, and then formulating a new HTTP communication to the web site based upon the received HTML and the test configuration file.
The operation of formulating a test configuration file preferably includes sending HTML comprising a blank testing form to a web browser, receiving HTTP from the web browser as a submission from the testing form and developing the test configuration file from the HTTP received from the web browser. In this fashion, a standard web browser can be used as the interface between the test operator and the testing software. Preferably, the web browser can also be used to edit test configuration filed that has already been developed.
An apparatus for testing a web site includes a computer having memory and a processor, and a monitor object resigning at least partially in the memory and executed by the processor. The monitor object includes an initiator to establish an HTTP communication between the monitor object and a web site and a repetitive communicator which repeatedly receives HTML from the web server, analyses the HTML for errors and stores the results in a database, and formulates a new HTTP communication based on the received HTML. Preferably, the apparatus also includes a scheduler residing at least partially in the memory and executed by the processor which is operative to invoke the monitor object, determine whether the monitor object is scheduled to be run, and run the monitor object as scheduled to initiate the HTTP communication to form a connection with the web site by repetitively communicating with the web site.
A system for testing a web site includes a TCP/IP protocol network, a web server connected to the TCP/IP protocol network and hosting a web site, and a testing computer having memory and a processor that is connected to the TCP/IP protocol network. The testing computer is operative to formulate a test configuration file stored in the memory including a series of test inquiries for a web site to be tested, to initiate an HTTP communication to form a connection with the web site and to repetitively communicate with the web site by receiving HTML from the web site, analyzing the HTML for errors, and storing the results in a database, and formulating a new HTTP communication based upon the received HTML and test configuration file.
An advantage of the present invention is that a web site can be thoroughly tested in a variety of interactive modes. Also, the present invention allows for the testing of changeable or xe2x80x9cdynamicxe2x80x9d features of the web site. In consequence, the present invention facilitates the thorough testing of web sites for errors and generates reports which aids in the correction of the detected errors. Other advantages include the capability of immediately providing a notification of any problems, and the reporting of performance and service levels.